Protected means protected
California prohibits discrimination based on race, color, national origin, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, pregnancy, religion, age over 40, disability, medical condition, marital status, veteran status, and more. If a protected characteristic influenced a decision about your job, that decision can be unlawful.
Discrimination is rarely announced
Nobody says the quiet part in writing anymore. Cases are proven with patterns: who got promoted, who got written up, what changed after the employer learned you were pregnant or disabled or over 50. We dig out the comparators and the timeline that make the motive undeniable.
Accommodation failures are discrimination too
Employers must reasonably accommodate disability, pregnancy, and religious practice, and must engage in a real interactive process. Ignoring your doctor's note, denying a modest schedule change, or forcing you out instead of accommodating you are all actionable.
Questions we hear
Do I need direct evidence, like a slur or an email?
No. Most winning cases are built on circumstantial evidence: timing, comparators, shifting explanations, and statistics.
Can I be fired for complaining about discrimination?
Retaliating against you for a good-faith complaint is separately illegal, even if the underlying discrimination claim doesn't succeed.
What if I'm still employed there?
You can pursue a claim while employed, and the law forbids retaliation for it. We'll strategize timing with you honestly.